[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-349":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223108,1620,"Chapter 349: The Great River Freezes Over and Chaos Reignites (Part 2)","overthrowing-han-chapter-349",349,"\u003Cp>Five thousand armored riders circled Yuan's main camp, setting fires at will while rampaging through to inflict maximum casualties. Lü Bu himself personally led over a hundred riders straight to a point a hundred-plus paces west of the camp's main gate, first killing Chunyu Qiong, then bending his bow and nocking an arrow, aiming directly at Yuan Shao — startling Yuan Benchu so badly his soul nearly fled, yet leaving him no time to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Lü Bu grew up in the border commanderies beneath the Yin Mountains, and after coming of age experienced the Yellow Turban Rebellion and fought in the decisive battles of the Guanzhong defense. A man who has been through a hundred battles and slain countless foes — how could he hesitate at such a moment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention, this single arrow, if it struck true, would be a deed worth more than slaughtering a hundred thousand soldiers!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, acting on pure instinct, he aimed his fine steel arrowhead at Yuan Shao, then wrenched the bowstring back with all his might — fully intending to shoot dead the Guandong coalition's leader on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when the arrow flew, it wobbled and veered, losing all force and falling to the ground more than ten paces short of Yuan Shao!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The personal guards on both sides, and the Yuan troops opposite, all stared in shock. But Lü Bu himself knew the moment he released that something had gone wrong... and even Huang Yuan beside him instantly understood, then could not help but look to heaven and sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth was, Lü Fengxian was fond of using his bow to vent his rage, yet this very habit was hardest on bows. Even in peacetime, Lü Bu had to replace a good bow every few months. And this particular bow, in the days prior, had been repeatedly plucked and pulled because of that wretch Hu Zhen. So in the end, under that final forceful draw, the bowstring was damaged, leaving it slack and powerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When all was reckoned, it was Hu Zhen who had saved Yuan Shao's life!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the scene before them: after that arrow, Yuan's heavily armored warriors had naturally already raised shields to protect Yuan Shao. Seeing this, how could Lü Bu be willing to let such a monumental achievement slip away? He immediately cast aside the ruined bow, raised his spear once more, and charged straight for Yuan Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the bitter cold of the twelfth month, Yuan Benchu had already broken out in a cold sweat from that arrow, his entire body drenched, leaving him limp and powerless, utterly unable to move. Yet his behavior made the many advisors and officers around him think he intended to continue commanding from this spot... and while they admired him for it, those who understood the situation were filled with fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, what are you thinking? Is this the time to play the hero?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, enter the camp at once! This is not the decisive battle against Dong Zhuo or Gongsun Xun — you must preserve your useful life!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Guo Tu and Xin Ping, the two men from Yingchuan, argued strenuously, Xu You and Feng Ji, the two Nanyang men who had followed him earliest, simply lunged forward and physically dragged him, under the escort of armored soldiers, toward the camp gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The whole army, form ranks and intercept! If we can hold just a little, the main force will turn back and this battle can still be won!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xin Ping, as the most senior, took charge without hesitation outside the camp gate, immediately shouting orders. And with Chunyu Qiong dead, Han Juzi, the highest-ranking general of the central army beside Yuan Shao, promptly led armored soldiers forward, attempting to intercept Lü Bu before the main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Yuan Benchu came from a line of four generations of the Three Excellencies, was the Guandong coalition's leader, and had stationed his army in Henei, a place crisscrossed by routes in all directions. So it was not only great clans and famous houses flocking to his side — countless powerful local magnates, wandering knights, and brave warriors, all carrying ambition, ideals, or opportunistic schemes, came to enlist. Thanks to this, the quality of Yuan Shao's central army Tiger Guards was truly not poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, seeing Lü Bu charging the formation with only a hundred riders, shooting Chunyu Qiong dead, and forcing Yuan Shao to retreat, Han Juzi and those below him — these handpicked central army armored soldiers — felt no fear. Instead, they eagerly surged forward, ready to display their prowess before Yuan Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet how could Lü Bu and his subordinates be afraid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the two forces clashed at the main gate with long weapons and short blades, warhorses and iron helms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost from the moment of first contact, severed limbs flew through the air, red and white gore sprayed forth, battle cries and wails of agony mingled, firelight glinted off blades — every kind of battlefield horror, too many to fully recount...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had Yuan Shao and the famous scholars and strategists who had barely managed to retreat around him ever witnessed such a sight? They too were struck speechless, each one silent, their faces inevitably pale, seized by panic and confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet although Lü Bu's assault was ferocious and his cavalry swept the battlefield like the wind, Yuan's main camp had ample troops after all. Looking just at the battlefield at the main gate, because of Yuan Shao's own presence, wave after wave of reinforcements naturally surged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mounted on Dilu, with long spear and fine steed, Lü Bu slew several overconfident armored warriors in succession. But no sooner had he broken through one layer of resistance than he saw another company of warriors pour out from the camp. And though these warriors were not as well-equipped as Yuan Shao's personal guard, they moved with discipline. Moreover, the several dozen warriors at the front all raised large wooden shields. Upon reaching the inner side of the main gate, they did not rush forward but instead crouched behind their shields, setting up a dense shield wall right at the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, behind this company of warriors were several dozen long-spearmen and several dozen crossbowmen, advancing with measured discipline, swift yet orderly, hurrying to the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Bu understood perfectly well that he had encountered true experts in dealing with cavalry. Once the long spears were braced atop the shield wall and the crossbowmen positioned in the gaps behind the spearmen, unless one had fully barded heavy cavalry, even elite riders like the White Horse Volunteers could not force this gate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he turned his head, he saw firelight blazing on the surface of the great river behind the golden embankment at his rear. There was no doubt — the army of over ten thousand had sensed something amiss behind them, and their commander, a man of outstanding quality, had made a decisive call, abandoning the attack on Hu Zhen to turn back with torches raised, attempting to come to the rescue!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this scene, Lü Bu raised his head and sighed, then repeatedly reined his horse back and turned to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Yuan and the others assumed their general had given up and began preparing to withdraw and rejoin the ranks. But at that very moment, Lü Fengxian, who had retreated several dozen paces, suddenly wheeled back toward the main gate, clamped his legs hard against his horse's flanks, and spurred Dilu into a gallop straight for the gate. Just before reaching that company of great-shield warriors, he wrenched the reins upward with all his might!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the firelight, Dilu leaped with all its strength, carrying Lü Fengxian — like a god descending from heaven — over the shield wall before the spears and crossbows could be set, soaring through the air and landing inside the main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Bu landed safely, let out a great roar, and while the Yuan troops inside the gate stood dumbfounded, killed several men in succession, once again charging straight for Yuan Shao!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Yuan Shao, who had just caught his breath, was once again terrified out of his wits by this display of godlike valor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, it was not only Yuan Shao — the entire Yuan army inside the main gate descended into chaos. Some were so frightened they scattered in rout, some stood dazed and lost, some shouted and screamed wildly, and some felt their hands and feet turn ice-cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, compared to the other armored soldiers and troops who were practically paralyzed with terror by Lü Bu, that unit in Yuan's army — the one combining shields, spears, and crossbows — displayed extremely high discipline. Although initially somewhat overwhelmed by Lü Bu's almost superhuman feat, they still retained sufficient capacity to act despite their shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the commander of this unit was the first Yuan officer to regain his senses. Following his orders, delivered in an unmistakable Liangzhou accent, the unit immediately withdrew their shields and spears and wheeled around to deal with Lü Bu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the reason Lü Bu had leaped his horse into the camp in the first place was that his state of mind had been thrown off balance by the earlier missed arrow. Add to that the battle frenzy rising within him, and he had taken such a reckless gamble. And since he had already ridden alone into the camp, he could not regret it — indeed, there was no time for regret. Thus, he paid no heed to the troops behind him, but pressed forward relentlessly, killing and slashing without pause... his eyes fixed solely on a single, petrified Yuan Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Traitor Lü, eat an arrow!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the critical moment, that Liangzhou-accented voice once again proved effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Bu instinctively reined in his horse to slow down and leaned aside to dodge... only to find there was no arrow at all. The general, in his haste, had deliberately deceived him with a false call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this single shout alerted Xu You and Feng Ji, those two quick-witted men. Seeing that Lü Bu had no bow in hand, they simply seized the still-dazed Yuan Shao once more and fled on foot toward the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the chaos, Lü Bu, who had halted his horse to dodge the nonexistent arrow and thus missed his golden opportunity, caught a glimpse of Yuan Shao's retreating back. Anxiety surged in his heart, but he had long since thrown away his bow... yet the chance could not be missed. He simply raised his long spear, preparing to hurl it with all his might at Yuan Shao's back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, someone was faster than him. Before Lü Bu could attempt the throw, Dilu let out a piercing neigh, and this General of Tiger Might was nearly thrown to the ground. When he turned to look, he saw by the firelight an arrow embedded in Dilu's hindquarters, fresh blood streaming down. Not far away stood a general holding an empty horn bow, still panting heavily — it was that same Yuan officer with the Liangzhou accent from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Bu was filled with bitter hatred, but he knew his final chance was lost. He lingered no longer, instead spurring his horse out of the camp. Fortunately, the shield wall had been withdrawn to protect Yuan Shao, and outside the main gate, Huang Yuan and the other officers were fighting a bloody battle to fight their way back and link up with him. Moreover, Dilu was only wounded in the hindquarters, which actually made it easier for him to charge out of the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after charging several dozen paces beyond the main gate, he could not help but wheel his horse around once more, raising his spear and demanding with bitter hatred: \"The one who shot my horse — do you dare leave your name?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Qu Yi of Pingyuan!\" The man's Liangzhou accent was clear and unmistakable, yet he claimed to be from Pingyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having learned the name, Lü Bu could not be bothered to ponder further. He simply threw back his head and laughed, then suddenly, right outside the main gate, hurled with all his might the spear he had not thrown earlier!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qu Yi, horrified, frantically ducked to evade!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with a miserable scream — everyone saw clearly — it was Han Juzi, the central army general who had been standing dazed at the main gate, who was impaled through the abdomen by the spear, pinned to the ground. It was plain to see that even if he survived, he would be crippled!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lü Bu laughed even louder. Right before the terrified eyes of countless Yuan soldiers, he spurred his horse and galloped away empty-handed, leading his men off. Only after he had vanished behind the firelight to the west did the battered Yuan troops at the main gate collectively breathe a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Han Juzi's miserable cries for help played a tremendous role in restoring the Yuan army's clarity. And fortunately, there was Qu Yi, who had not lost his composure, along with his own highly disciplined private troops, maintaining order, putting out fires, and tending to the wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could this man possess the valor of a ghost or god?\" Xin Ping, covered in blood and gore, fled in panic from outside the main gate to Yuan Shao's side. Turning his head to gaze at the devastated battlefield, he was the first to look to heaven and sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other men of wisdom and strategy were likewise speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao remained stunned for a long while, silent. But when Han Juzi, his breathing growing ever fainter, was carried away toward the rear tents, Yuan Shao suddenly, facing the wreckage all around, broke into bitter weeping, even bending down to pound the ground without cease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Ji had twice dragged Yuan Shao to safety and knew full well that the man had genuinely been frightened out of his wits. But this sudden fit of weeping now — he truly did not know what it meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it a genuine outpouring of emotion? Fear and loss of composure? Or had he suddenly come to his senses and decided to put on a performance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter what, as the trusted confidant and advisor whom Yuan Shao trusted most, and perhaps one of the few whose minds were still functioning, Feng Ji could only steel himself and speak to his lord — or perhaps offer a reminder:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, earlier you commanded with unshakable calm, preferring death to retreat, and the officers and men were deeply moved. Now that Lü Bu has left, why do you weep instead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yuan Tu, do you think I am putting on an act?!\" Yuan Shao forced himself to stop, but his face was still filled with anguish. \"I truly regret... Had it not been for Lü Bu's raid today, I would still be swelling with pride over my position as Guandong coalition leader, thinking only of manipulating men's hearts, to the point of treating warfare as child's play! If only I had awakened even a few days earlier, how could General Chunyu have met a sudden death in battle, and how could Captain Han have ended up in such a state? Today's defeat is not the fault of the officers and men, nor of you gentlemen — it rests on me alone!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these words, he wept bitterly once more, beating his chest and stamping his feet, wailing without end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Ji, and Guo Tu beside him, instinctively wanted to seize the moment to praise and encourage Yuan Shao. But recalling Lü Bu's earlier godlike valor, and seeing that Yuan Shao's grief was at least eight-tenths genuine, they found themselves utterly unable to utter a single word of flattery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not until Zhang He, Han Meng, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, and the other generals led their troops back, the sounds of battle gradually subsided, and the surrounding soldiers began extinguishing fires on a large scale, that someone finally began to console and flatter Yuan Shao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, before he could say a few more words of persuasion… Xu You, who had remained silent all this while, suddenly stroked his beard and sighed, directly cutting off this display of lord-minister harmony:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Benchu! General of the Chariots and Cavalry! Is this the time to weep? A great calamity is about to befall Henei!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of talk is this, Xu Ziyuan?\" Before Yuan Shao could speak, Guo Tu beside him had already indignantly retorted. \"Though today was perilous, it was nothing more than our camp being burned and the loss of General Chunyu and Captain Han. At most, our edge has been blunted — where is this great calamity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not speaking of us!\" Xu You refuted helplessly. \"It is Wang Kuang who is about to be emptied out! And even for us, our losses this time are likely more than just those two… Think about it — in the deep of night, whether for a cavalry raid or for our army and Wang Kuang's forces to support each other, could we only advance along the Yellow River embankment to ensure we did not lose our way or scatter our troops?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of those present were men of wisdom and strategy, and upon hearing this, they one after another came to realization, then each grew alarmed and doubtful:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does the gentleman Ziyuan mean that General Yan Liang was in fact bound to collide with Lu Bu… but General Yan has a full five thousand cavalry?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if General Yan's main force had not been defeated, how could Lu Bu have reached this place? Just as the gentleman Ziyuan said, in the pitch-black night, on a long-distance raid, both friend and foe could only advance swiftly by following the Yellow River embankment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In fact, if one thinks carefully — earlier, flames rose at Xiaoping Ford, and then Lu Bu came raiding from the west along the great river. Does this not mean that Wang Kuang's rear-guard forces were also completely annihilated? With Lu Bu's divine valor, if he crossed the river in secret for a surprise attack, he might well have won a swift victory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not only that.\" Xu You sighed again with deep feeling. \"Consider this: when we saw the flames at Xiaoping Ford, even harboring ill intentions, we still hastily dispatched General Yan to handle the situation as he saw fit. Now, if Wang Kuang hurried his army back to Xiaoping Ford, where there were not many enemy troops, and then saw the flames rising here — given his deference to our General of the Chariots and Cavalry, even if he felt fear in his heart, would he not still send troops to aid us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Feng Ji had also fully awakened to the truth. \"Wang Kuang earlier sent word that he was leading eight thousand troops upstream. How many troops can he now send to reinforce us? And once they collide head-on again, though both sides are exhausted from the night's toil, one side has horses and the other does not, one side has won successive victories while the other sees fires blazing everywhere in their main camp… I fear it will be another rout at the first clash!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, in that case, Wang Gongjie is finished?\" Yuan Shao ceased his weeping entirely, yet could not help but feel panic and dread… Earlier he had been thinking of swallowing the other's forces, but now, hearing that a regional lord commanding over ten thousand troops had been emptied out just like that, he instead felt the grief of the fox mourning the hare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wang Kuang is finished!\" Xin Ping pronounced in a deep voice, causing Yuan Benchu's heart to die completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is a mastermind behind Lu Bu!\" Xu You finally sighed with a distant, brooding air. \"Not only was it calculated that the Yellow River embankment could aid cavalry in an easy night raid, but it was also calculated with precision that Wang Kuang is outwardly strong but inwardly hollow, outwardly arrogant but inwardly cowardly, conservative in all matters; and it was also calculated with precision that we, in truth, harbored ill intentions toward Wang Kuang… This is truly penetrating insight into the human heart! With such a wise man driving such a divinely valiant general, our defeat is not unjust!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames had begun to be brought under control, but within Yuan's main camp, as order gradually returned, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this group of men had still miscalculated one thing… and that was that Wang Kuang, Wang Gongjie, was not only outwardly arrogant but inwardly cowardly, outwardly strong but inwardly hollow — he was also exceptionally lacking in the hearts of the people of Henei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said that after this man toiled to lead his army back to Xiaoping Ford, on one side he saw Fang Yue's corpse, and on the other he saw the main camp at Wushe Ford, where Yuan Shao was stationed, ablaze. He thought Dong Zhuo had dispatched a great army for an all-out offensive, and so for a moment his timidity reached its extreme. Yet he dared not not go to Yuan Shao's rescue. So in the end, he appointed Hao Meng as commander and sent troops to aid, while he himself abandoned the thoroughly burned Xiaoping Ford and fled to the nearby Wen County to take shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when Lu Bu, following Jia Xu's instructions, was returning from Wushe Ford to Xiaoping Ford and once again collided head-on with Wang Kuang's forces, Hao Meng, frozen and exhausted, simply knelt on the ground and led his troops in offering surrender!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two or three days later, when the dust of this battle had settled, Henan, Henei, and even the other regions suddenly learned — in this battle, Lu Bu, using the strategy of Jia Xu, Commandant of Xiaoping Ford, took only five thousand cavalry across the river for a night battle. First he burned Wang Kuang's main camp at Xiaoping Ford, then he burned Yuan Shao's main camp at Wushe Ford. And along the way, coming and going, he killed three generals, crippled one, and forced one to surrender, routing over ten thousand troops and taking eight thousand prisoners, while his own army's losses were less than a thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fierce Tiger of the age, trampling the three fords, straddling the Yellow River — it could be called a roar that shook the world! And the name of Jia Wenhe, whose schemes set chaos in motion, also spread on swift feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——————————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Bu had triumphed, he returned and asked: \"In the past, with a host of ten thousand, it was difficult to overcome these foes. Now, with only five thousand, using your counsel, how was victory achieved?\" Xu said: \"This is easy to understand. The General is inherently skilled with cavalry; though crossing the river to strike in the deep night, there was still the Yellow River's golden embankment to rely upon as a road, so coming and going there was no disorder. As for the traitor Wang Kuang, outwardly strong but inwardly hollow, outwardly arrogant but truly cowardly, upon seeing deceptive troops he was bound to flee and divide his forces, and thus could be broken piecemeal. As for Yuan's army, though numerous, their hearts harbored ill intentions, their desire to drive the tiger to devour the wolf all too evident; they were bound to commit few troops and watch from the sidelines, and thus could also be broken piecemeal. Moreover, Shao is arrogant and lax in military matters; once battle was joined, he was bound to suddenly blunder.\" Bu then bowed in submission. — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter of Frivolous Criticism\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Sincere apologies for today… I thought I could finish writing in the middle of the night, but because of the cold weather I went to bed, and then I was too exhausted — midway through, I fell asleep in bed holding my laptop… In the morning I had to go to work, and it being the first day back, it wasn't easy to slack off. I forced myself to hold on until noon, secretly opened the document, and finished coding the chapter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I truly must kowtow and beg forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4077,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","8fca08e443c3b35b7eed38564879215d26ffcc14bcb81382f02509c26fdf43d3","overthrowing-han-chapter-350","overthrowing-han-chapter-348",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]